


Baby Steps

by SuperStitious18



Series: DarhkAtom + Family [2]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Some Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 01:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17132540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperStitious18/pseuds/SuperStitious18
Summary: Ray just wants his daughter and girlfriend to bond properly so they could be one happy family.The Legends have to go on an urgent mission, leaving Nora to take care of the young Palmer. Bonding and fluff ensues.





	Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

> This just happened? I like it though? I hope you enjoy?

"Nora, You know all I want is for you and Nicole to get along." Ray tried, hoping not to spook off his girlfriend.

It's not that Nicole and Nora did't get along. His girlfriend was just extremely awkward around his daughter. Nicole loved Nora, calling her NoNo and following her around places, trying to chat her ear off. Nora accepted it and tried but ultimately fled when she could.

"Yeah, well. I don't know how to behave around children. I'm terrified of screwing them up." Nora stated bluntly, going back to her knitting. "Besides, she seems perfectly content with everyone else. And she has a mother figure, she has Ava."

Ray sighed and got up to kiss her head. "I'm not going to push it okay? But please don't turn her away. She's 4, babe. And she does love Ava, but she wants to love you too." He waited to see if she'd add anything on before heaving a sigh and turning away to go see what Sara needed.

Nora frowned, looking at the hat she was making as Ray left the room. She let out a sigh of her own and stood up, maybe she could try to handle a kid for a few minutes. Gideon could send out an S.O.S if anything went wrong, right?

Turns out she didn't have to go far to find the kid. Nicole was found in the hallway, sitting on the floor and staring at the ground. The sight tugged on her heart strings. She wasn't a monster anymore and Nora wasn't one to turn away a sad child anyways. "Nicole? What's wrong?" She made her voice come out as gentle as possible so as not to spook the little girl.

"You don't like me."

"What?" She was startled. Nora did like Nicole, she was just... weird around kids.

"You told daddy so." Nicole said matter of factly.

"Wait, No. No." Nora hurried to correct her. "It's not that. I just... I had a bad childhood. I never got to be a normal kid like you did so... I don't really know how to act around you." Nora hoped she understood that. "And I love your daddy, You know that right?"

Nicole gave her a thumbs up. That'd work, at least she didn't look on the verge of tears now. "Can I have a hug?" She asked, holding her arms out wide for Nora.

"Come here." Nora's heart expanded when Nicole buried herself into her embrace. She knew this wouldn't be the end of it, she would still be scared and Nicole would worry that Nora didn't want her. "How about... I show you the hat I'm making?"

"Yes please!" Nicole beamed, looking expectantly at Nora. At the confused look, "Can you carry me?"

"Oh! Yes, Of course." Nora picked up Nicole and placed her on her hip. "Is this okay?" She checked in with the four year old who gave a firm nod. 

"Wait, I'm hungry." Nicole interuppted her stride. "Can I have nuggets?"

"Sure, I think that's okay? Gideon, What do I feed her?"

"Young Ms. Palmer likes the chicken nuggets Mr. Palmer makes."

"The ones he makes on the grill attachement? That's... odd. I can give it a shot okay?" Nora directed the question to Nicole who gave her a bright, dimply smile. She knew she was screwed, she would be helpless against her boyfriend's mini.

Maybe that wasn't so bad.

As a matter of fact, It was terrible. She had no idea how to cook and half the legends were off ship dealing with a fugitive. "Shit."

"You said a swear!" Well at least Nicole seemed to be in good spirits despite being hungry. 

"Ah, I'm sorry. I uh I don't know how to cook Nicole." She looked sad and got another one of those heart tugging smiles.

"Is okay."

"I've contacted Director Sharpe for assistance." Gideon chimed in helpfully and Nora groaned. Great, Ava would see how bad of a babysitter she was being. "She is on her way and suggested you help Ms. Palmer with a clementine."

Nora smacked her forehead, even more exasperated she didn't think of that. "I'm sorry Nicole." She apologised to the toddler. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Is okay." Nicole grinned. "Orange!" She cheered though as Nora brought the clementine closer to her. "I can peel." She held out her tiny hands for it and Nora deposited it for her.

"Okay... I'll be here if you need help." Nora offered and got another of what was becoming her favorite smiles. "Stop that."

Nicole looked at her, head tilted and a perplexed look on her face. "What did I do?"

"You're being extremely cute. It's unfair on my heart." Nora hoped she understood the humor in her voice. Turns out, she did as Nicole broke down into sweet giggles. 

"Here!" Nicole quickly finished peeling the clementine and offered a few pieces to Nora. The older woman looked touched as she accepted the offer. "It's a snackrifice." The word was a bit garbled but once Nora processed it, she burst out laughing.

"I accept your snackrifice." Nora was still giggling, this wasn't so bad. Ray had said Nicole was a rather easy going toddler, she just loved to be happy and to share. Nora had been a little stand offish for reasons that had nothing to do with this beautiful little ray of sunshine. 

"Yay!"

Ava boarded the Waverider, hurrying towards the kitchen and worried about the two girls left on the ship. She paused when she got close, the laughter making itself known. She peaked around and her entire demeanor changed from worried to soft as Nicole was sitting on Nora's lap, playing with the woman's hair.

"Daddy said he thought you were the prettiest lady he'd ever met!" Nicole was apparently letting Nora in on juicy gossip.

"Really? He did not say that!" Nora added to the drama.

"Uh huh! He told me!" Nicole insisted.

"Well, You can tell your daddy that I said I think he's the prettiest man I've ever met." Nora tickled Nicole who shrieked happily. "Oh, Hey look! It's Ava." The two were smiling like maniacs towards her.

Ava wanted to protect the pure joy that was radiating from these two forever. "Yep!" It was hard not to be happy, taking in the scene of Nicole and Nora bonding. "I heard a certain cutie wanted nuggets? And h- Another person is a safety hazard?" Ava corrected herself before she called Nora Nicole's mother. She was pretty sure they weren't there yet, but today was definitely a move towards it.

"NoNo doesn't know how to cook." Nicole relayed what Nora had told her earlier. The woman in question beamed at the wonderful nickname she had. 

"Ahhhh makes sense. Well, how about NoNo carries you and I'll show you both how to make the nuggets you like?"

Nicole turned her puppy dog eyes to Nora who relented easily. "Alright, I might get tired holding you. So how about I sit on a stool and you stay in my lap?" Nicole nodded and curled up against Nora's front. "You okay bug?"

"Mmhm. Hungry." Nicole reminded them why they were here and closed her eyes while Ava got busy on making the nuggets she liked so much.

After Nicole had been fed, she wanted Nora to cuddle her more. In fact, she insisted on it. "Okay, okay." She laughed at Nicole's determined face and foot stomping. "I'll be over on the couch in a moment. Why don't you go over and read something while I help Ava clean up okay?"

"No!" Nicole said, getting more petulant the longer they stayed here.

Ava intervened. "Nicole, Don't shout. Please, Go sit down. You'll be able to see us the whole time okay?" Nicole sulked away after agreeing to the terms. 

Nora heaved a sigh. "I was doing so well too."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Nora. Not everyone handles children perfectly the first time. Not Ray, Not Sara, Not even myself. We all fumble somewhere along the way. Speaking of kids, Why aren't the Legends on the ship?" Ava directed that last question towards Gideon who would likely know before Nora.

"They had to deal with an emergency fugitive off ship. I recieved a message from Captain Lance to tell you that the situation is under control and they should be on the way to the Bureau soon." Gideon answered her. 

Ava said her goodbyes after the finished up dishes and headed back to the Bureau. Nora went over to where Nicole was pouting on the couch still. "What's up firebug?" She had no idea why that was the nickname she gave her, she'd have to think about it later.

"Cuddle time?" Nicole looked up hopefully, stretching towards Nora.

"Cuddle time." Nora confirmed, scooping up her boyfriend's daughter so they could stretch out along the couch. "Are you okay?"

"Blanket?" Nora managed to magic a throw over them. "Woah! That was cool!"

"Thank you. I used to just hurt people with my magic, you know? I wasn't a good person." Nora winced, She really shouldn't have brought that up.

"Nuh uh! You're awesome!" Nicole refused to believe that Nora was ever evil. "Daddy said so. And I say so."

Nora smiled, such a sweet and innocent child. "Well, Then I can't argue now can I?"

"Nope!" Nicole beamed up at Nora before burrowing further into her front. "Nap time NoNo."

"Wait, here?" She didn't know how comfortable the couch was but apparently she was going to find out as Nicole was insistent on napping then and there. "Okay, Um. Gideon? Would you dim the lights please?"

The AI didn't respond but it got darker so Nora was positive Gideon listened to her. "Thank you." She yawned, getting comfortable under the weight of a dozing four year old on her chest. It wasn't long before she slipped into a peaceful rest herself.

"Another successful mission guys!" Sara cheered, leading the Legends towards the kitchen. "Gideon? How did Darhk's first day of baby sitting go?"

"I will caution you all to be silent as you enter the living room area." Gideon said instead of answering Sara's question.

Ray was the first one to see why Gideon told them to be quiet. Nora was asleep on the couch, one hand behind her head and the other resting on Nicole's back. The two looked so peaceful, he immediately went to take the best picture he could. Once he got a good one, Ray set it as his background and went to show all the Legends.

Nora may not have known how to be a mother figure to Nicole but Ray was certain today was baby steps towards the one thing he wanted most in the world. For her to be his wife and for Nicole to be their daughter.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you thought, come yell at me on twitter at Superstitious20 if you'd like!


End file.
